(A/N: I could not find a map which showed the exact location fo Harbor Town, so if it's much further away than a day's ship travel, please don't rudely point it out.

The Southern Water Tribe capital is pronounced Mee-Nay, it's a Japanese name that means "Fortress". It is Katara and Sokka's village.)

A loud thud woke Kanna from her dreamless sleep. At first she wasn't quite sure where she was, instead of the familiar scent of ice and furs, Kanna smelled brine and cheap lamp oil, instead of the ice walls of her room she was surrounded by walls of damp wooden planks. Trying to keep her panic in check, Kanna sat up and looked around for a familiar face, it was then she remembered, Kanna would never again see the faces she was looking for.

Pushing her tears back, Kanna tried to get up but found herself weighed down. Feeling around her waist she found her large purse still tied to the inside of her parka. It wasn't easy but after a few minutes of maneuvering, she managed to get off the cot without losing coins or hurting herself. Gathering her bag, Kanna walked out the door of the passenger's cabin and up the stairs to the top deck. The sun had risen and judging by its position it was close to one in the afternoon. The wind held an icy chill but while the other passengers and crew huddled in coats and tightened hoods Kanna pulled hers down. She was used to much more severe weather and found the air to be mild and the sun warm. Looking out into the ocean, the first thing Kanna noticed was the lack of glaciers in the water. Growing up in the North Pole, they had been everywhere, even during long boat rides. But now they were nowhere to be found. They must've traveled quite a distance in one night. That didn't surprise her, Earth Kingdom ships were fast and made for quick trips to and from trading destinations. After all, time was money and money was power in the Earth Kingdom; even their nation emblem was a coin.

"We'll be docking at Harbor Town by sunset." A voice said from behind.

Turning around, Kanna saw Captain Shi standing behind her.

"I've heard from another ship that the Northern Tribe is looking for a runaway, she stole from a respectable family and fled before the authorities could get to her."

Kanna looked away, guilt filling her eyes.

"Did they mention the respectable family is the thief's family?" Kanna asked, her hand traveling down to her waist were the small fortune of silver coins were hidden.

"They said she's unwanted, an outcast."

The last comment stung at Kanna's heart more than Sosuke's words ever had, an unwanted meant she would never again be welcome in the Northern Water tribe. Kanna's mother and father had disowned her and she was no longer a citizen of their Nation. The only hope she had left for returning to her brothers and sisters was the Southern Tribe. While that had been her original destination, Kanna hoped her parents love for her would allow for a return if she ever desired it. It had been a foolish hope and she now saw that, her parents pride had always been more important than their children.

"If I were this 'Unwanted'," Captain Shi said, interrupting Kanna's thoughts "I would get off this ship at Harbor Town, find a caravan down to Ba Sing Se and disappear."

Kanna nodded, thankful he wasn't going to imprison her to await a Water Tribe ship home.

When the ship arrived at Harbor Town, Kanna did just that, she found a caravan of Earth Kingdom nobles on holiday and they agreed to let her travel in their servant's cart. Sitting with the valets and maids of the Bei Fong family was quite a lesson for Kanna. She learned that Earth Kingdom families had last names that separated them from each other, Kanna also learned that these names had power. If you mentioned the right one to the right person you could get a good deal at a market or an audience with a government official. This was all odd to Kanna, while her nation did have a caste system it wasn't based on names but deeds and abilities. Benders and Warriors were at the highest rank, they kept the Tribe safe from invasion. Healers and apothecaries were next, they healed the wounded and sick thus ensuring the continuation of the tribe. Next came hunters and fisherman who provided food and the smiths who fashioned weapons and tools. Lastly were the craftswomen, the unmarried who had been skilled enough to be able to care for themselves without a man. They were looked down upon, a behavior Kanna never understand. These women were the ones that tanned the leathers and dyed the furs of the tribe's people. They made the clothes the tribe wore and the pots they made food in. Without these women, the tribe couldn't function.

It didn't take long for Kanna to realize that it wasn't very different in the Earth Kingdom, women who chose work instead of family and marriage were called spinsters, due to the clothing trade being the most lucrative for them. While they designed and made beautiful clothing for the nobles, they wore old, worn clothing and were barely tolerated by those above them in rank.

As the days passed, Kanna found herself welcomed into the families circle, they had never been to the Northern Water Tribe and were curious about its customs and fashions. While Kanna didn't like being treated as an oddity to entertain, she obliged her hosts as payment for the safety of traveling with them. Had she attempted to make the journey alone bandits would most likely have taken her money and possibly more. To add to her luck, Kanna discovered they were traveling much further south than Ba Sing Se, all the way to the family's estate in Gaoling. From there she could buy passage on a boat to the Southern Water Tribe. The Bei Fong family protested this, they had grown fond of the Water Tribe girl and were hoping they could persuade her to stay on after they returned home as one of their servants. Their staff was well paid and cared for and Kanna was skilled at small tasks such as sewing and cleaning. Kanna thanked them for the kind (in their eyes) offer but informed them she was eager to be amongst her brothers and sisters again. This was very odd to the Bei Fongs as Kanna had never been to not meant anyone from the Southern Tribe.

"We are all the children of the moon and ocean," Kanna explained one night at dinner, "we are all brothers and sisters, regardless of location or familiarity."

The Bei Fongs found this naively charming and a let the matter go. When the caravan reached its destination, Kanna bid farewell to her kind hosts and started the arduous task of finding a ship to the Southern Water Tribe capital of Mine. The winter months were starting in the southern hemisphere and the ice was treacherous, many of the trading vessels had stopped their travels for the year and would not continue again until the Spring Equinox. Kanna was worried, she was staying at a cheap inn but her money wouldn't last the whole winter and even with her tolerance of cold, she wouldn't survive the winter nights outside. As her bag of coins got lighter, Kanna saw no alternative; she went to the Bei Fong estate and asked for employment.