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Dudes, I so need a break from AP. This is panic season.

Just thought it would be fair to warn you, some of these chapters are actual stories, others are shorter observations. I'm trying to expand my horizons.

To the internet!

21. Hero

A time may come for valor without renown . . . .

In the Late days of the war, heros were in short supply. Or perhaps they just showed up in odd places.

In a small water tribe village at the south pole, heros and heroines were far away things best left for story night. They knew their little waterbender Katara was off mastering her element and doing brave things, and that her warrior brother was making a fool of himself (but also doing brave things), but they were so far away, and had been gone for so long now that they were no longer part of their world.

Their leaders had gone, so who would hold them together? Who would share their courage? Who would remind them of their pride, their identity?

Their leaders were gone, but they were not shepardless.

"Our husbands and sons, our brothers and nephews, and now our beloved daughter have gone off to fight their war. We must praise their great bravery, but we must be brave enough to wait for them." Kanna stood on the remnants of her grandson's old guard tower, facing a group of anxious, determined women.

"I know some of you wish to join your husbands and brothers and wish to do your part to end the war and bring them home. And I know the ferocity of water tribe women can put to shame any other warriors from any other nation on this planet. They know not the winter that does not end, know not the ice that flows through our veins. But here we must stay to defend our home and our children."

"Kanna, if the war does not end, soon we will have no home to defend!"

"The Fire Nation has already stolen my children from me!"

Voices raised in accord, and Kanna braced her feet. "Quiet!" she shouted above the din. "I know the pain of losing someone you dearly love. I share that suffering every day with all of you. But if we allow that suffering to cloud our minds and because of it we abandon our homes and families, the Fire Nation has already won!

"But I say, so long as one member of our tribe still draws breath in defiance, in defense of our home, at home or abroad, we shall not be defeated!" Kanna had silenced the tribe, and drew herself up as far as her withered back would allow. "You have chosen me to lead you in Hakoda's stead. If any shall renege on this decision, speak now before all sisters of the tribe and all spirits of the sea."

And none would. Kanna was, after all, their hero. She gave them courage and gave them guidance, she was their rock in the ever-shifting tide of life. She made them brave enough to wait for their soldiers to come home, tired of adventure, just to a home.

Once upon a time Kanna had been just as they were, but perhaps foolhardy enough to act on it. Maybe there had been better ways, but that was vision in hindsight, and that was something she had no time for. She had a job to do, after all.

She had to be a hero.

So, dudes, you like? Not like? I'd like to know! This one was sort of inspired by my one true love, and that is Lord of the Rings, as you can see from the epitaph.

I said it once, I'll say it again. Main characters need not apply.