A/N: I'm BAAAAAAACK! I know it's been like... four months... but I'm back with a short, but fluffy, one-shot. :D Korra's 5, and I don't own LOK. If I did, season two would be on. - Immac

In Which Korra Goes Penguin Sledding

The moonlight sparkled off the snow as Katara closed her window. A candle flickered as she turned back to her room. Her brother's satchel was sitting on her bed, ready to be taken off on another adventure. So many years had done damage on the bag he'd bought in Ba Sing Se. It was old and worn. With a sigh, she realized that she was the same way. It made her sad, understanding that she wasn't the girl she used to be when the world was in turmoil. Of course, she wasn't missing the pain and agony in the world, but she did miss being spry and youthful. Katara reached a hand up, feeling the leathery skin of her cheek.

"Whatcha doing?" 5 year old Korra asked, rubbing her eyes groggily, standing in the doorway. Katara jumped in surprise. Korra looked at her teacher curiously, and the elderly woman chuckled at the child's messy hair and askew pajamas.

"Korra, dear, you should be in bed," Katara smiled. "It's late. You have water bending training tomorrow."

"But you're still up," Korra protested. "What're you doing?"

"I was going to go for a walk," Katara said patiently as the little Avatar pouted, unsatisfied with the answer. "I'm grown, Korra. You aren't. You need sleep."

"Can I go with you?" she asked. "I'm not sleepy."

Katara looked down at the little girl, who was oh-so stubborn in a way her predecessor hadn't been. Rolling her eyes and smiling.

"Fine, but I have a very special mission for you, child." Katara grabbed the satchel. "Can you carry this very carefully?"

"Of course! I'm the Avatar!" Korra lisped sleepily, stifling a yawn.

Katara waited at the doors of the compound as Korra grabbed her boots and jacket. When the young girl came plodding through the snow, Katara opened the gates.

The two walked for what seemed like an eternity, past the village Korra had grown up in, past the one Katara had. While the little girl couldn't care less about the journey, only the destination, her mentor was taking in everything with a new vitality. It was almost like she was walking backwards through time. The village looked almost exactly the same as before, but somehow more old-fashioned. Despite all of the modernizing through the world, the South Pole never seemed to age. If she'd been around during her Gran-Gran's childhood, Katara suspected this was what the village would've looked like. Children's toys littered the snow, as did snowmen and various pots and pans.

"Are we there yet?" Korra asked impatiently.

"Yes, we are," Katara said with a chuckle. Immediately, Korra yanked the satchel off of her shoulder and thrust it towards the older woman. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Katara set the bag on the ground and took Korra by the hand. Korra watched in amazement as Katara took her over a large dune of snow. On the other side were the most penguins the little Avatar had ever seen in one place. Katara smiled fondly.

"Do you want to go penguin sledding?" Katara asked.

Korra had been so excited, racing the older woman until the sun began turning the sky silver. It had been so long, so, so long for Katara since she'd been penguin sledding before. Korra had, naturally, created obstacles for her mentor to cheat. Large chunks of rock jutting out, a tiny flame to scare the penguin, walls of ice. It had been fun. Katara cheated back, making the late night game into a learning experience to help Korra learn water bending techniques.

They sat down on the snow, eating fruit from the satchel as the sun rose over the horizon. Korra wiped juice as it dribbled onto her chin and looked up at Katara, noticing how sad the elderly woman looked, how much older she looked.

"Katara, are you okay?" she asked curiously, stifling a yawn as she asked.

"Do you know what day it is, child?" Katara responded after a long, painful silence. Korra nodded slowly before responding with difficulty, due to the many syllables, "The autumnal equinox."

"Yes," Katara sighed as the little girl snuggled into her side. She reached into the bag and pulled out a portrait of herself as a younger woman, with an infant in her arms, and a man looking over them fondly.

"Is that Aang?" Korra asked, pointing at the man. Katara couldn't answer, as her throat suddenly had a large knot in it. Korra watched as Katara set the portrait against the snow dune and pulled out incense. "Can I light it?" she asked quietly. Korra didn't wait for an answer, just touched her fingers to the tips, willing the sticks to glow orange.

"Secret tunnel, secret tunnel, through the mountain, secret tunnel," Katara sang softly, until Korra fell asleep in her lap. "Happy birthday, Aang."

A/N: So, originally, this was going to be Korra sneaking out, but I realized she'd already been sneaking out so much that I thought it'd be sweet if Katara took her out to do this. And then the whole Aang thing popped in my head... Anyways, submit ideas!