A/N: This is a new series for me to write about, and a new fandom for me to cater to. Just watched LoK again and while I wasn't hugely pleased the first time, my second time through seems to have gotten me a little bit obsessed. This story is just a look at Korra's early years, from the moment Aang passes away and Korra is born, to the day she convinces the White Lotus to let her train in airbending. It might be long. I have the main events planned out in my head. It might also be like, 10 2000-word chapters. I haven't written it all out yet. Anyway. I hope you guys enjoy this :) I really wanted to explore some of the characters not yet well-developed in the show, so it's an opportunity to get to know Korra's parents, older Katara, some of the villagers and White Lotus guards a little better. If this idea has been done already, and done better, I'm sorry. But I haven't read any fics based before Korra leaves the south pole, so if you think it sounds familiar it's entirely coincidental and we think a lot alike and should be friends. :D

The first chapter deals with death and childbirth. I don't go into anatomical detail or anything, but if that thought makes you queasy just wait til next chapter. O.o Also, I made up a pain-killing plant that isn't a drug in any way shape or form but I can see how some might take it that way. I'm not encouraging the illegal or health-harming use of plants. But I'm rating this T for the reasons stated above.

Everything belongs to Nickelodeon, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzo, from here on referred to by me as "Nick and Bryke" for lazy reasons. I own nothing.

Aang's shallow breath filled the room. Katara leaned above her husband as he lay in their bed. Tears fell from her eyes and dripped down onto his cheeks. His sons stood behind the bed, stiff, holding back tears. On either side of Katara kneeled Toph and Sokka, cheeks wet. Lin stood leaning against the wall, struggling to keep her tears at bay.

"No, Aang," Katara repeated, her voice cracking. "No."

She placed a gentle kiss on her husband's fragile lips. Her hand caressed his cheek. Weakly, he made the same gesture.

"Katara", he whispered, his voice faltering. "I love you."

Katara's shoulders heaved. "I love you too, Aang," she sobbed.

The Avatar closed his eyes. Katara cried out as a final, strained breath rattled from Aang's mouth. The man lay stiff and still in the centre of the room. Katara wept, crying out for an answer she'd never again receive from Aang. An arm fell on her shoulder, followed by another, as Toph and Sokka wept together beside her. Tenzin and Lin, standing a distance apart, exchanged sorrowful glances as Lin hesitantly strode across the room. Tenzin fell into her arms. Bumi's head bowed, his shoulders sank.

An hour passed like a year. The room was dry and silent. Aang lay on his bed, his body still fairly warm. The hide door of Aang and Katara's Water Tribe home flapped open, flooding the room with natural light. All eyes solemnly turned to find one of the tribe hunters, Tonraq, standing apologetically by the door. Toph tensed, eyes narrowing before Katara gave him a smile and allowing him to proceed.

"Katara, I'm sincerely sorry for interrupting," Tonraq spoke urgently. "Senna is in labour."

A silent chill passed through the room at the man's words. Katara stood immediately. Tenzin stepped forward, a hand raised openly.

"Mother, you don't think," he let the question hang in the air.

Katara gazed at Tonraq before glancing down at her husband's still body. She took in a deep breath and turned to Sokka.

"You know what to do, Sokka." Her brother nodded gravely and turned to face Aang's body. The three had discussed funereal procedures only days ago when Aang fell drastically ill. Katara then turned to her youngest son. "Tenzin, can you make an announcement to the village?"

"Yes, mother."

"Bumi, when Kya arrives, tell her I will be with Tonraq and Senna, possibly for a couple of days." She turned to Tonraq, smiling knowingly. "The first child is always the most stubborn."

Toph gave a quick snort, eliciting an eye roll from her daughter.

Katara swept after Tonraq into the young couple's home. The two had been married only ten months prior. Inexperience and anxiety played on their faces throughout Senna's pregnancy and now the young woman lay on a mattress of furs and blankets, breathing erratically with terrified eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Katara. I know Aang is not well, but we didn't want any of the younger midwives to deliver our baby."

Katara smiled at Tonraq, placing a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. Her smile fell, as she looked him steadily in the eye. "Avatar Aang passed away not too long before you came to find me."

Tonraq stepped back, eyes wide. He looked down at his wife who reflected his look with strained surprise and laboured breathing.

"Now Tonraq, bring me a lot of towels and clean water."

"Right."

The man shot off through another doorway and clamoured to gather Katara's request.

Senna struggled to sit up, wincing in her pain and clutching her large belly.

"Katara!" she yelled, her voice straining against her pain. "I don't want an Avatar baby! I don't even want a bending baby! I want –" She fell into a fit of huffing and puffing as her face scrunched up.

Katara was at her side immediately, encouraging her to lie back down. Motherly, she brushed a stray strand of damp hair from Senna's forehead.

"Senna, I'm sure there are hundreds of Water Tribe babies coming into the world today. Don't fret."

Senna looked into Katara's eyes for the briefest moment before closing them again and huffing. "I'm – so sorry – Katara."

Katara smiled sincerely, fighting away the tears of her loss. Through the death of her beloved Aang, a new Avatar would be brought into the world today. She didn't know where it would happen, or what woman would be bearing Aang's successor. All she knew was that on the day her soul mate died, she was helping Senna bring a brand new life into the world. She'd known this day would come, though no one would have expected it to come so soon.

Tonraq erupted back into the room buried under a bundle of arctic-cotton towels and – somehow – three large buckets of water. Katara grinned at his efforts.

"Does the water need to be warm?" he asked, setting his provisions on the floor next to Senna.

"No, Tonraq, this is fine."

"What do I do now?"

"Hold your wife's hand."

Tonraq stared blankly at Katara. "That's it?"

Katara smiled as she set herself up into position to gauge the readiness of Senna's body. "Trust me, Tonraq, you'll wish you were doing my job by the end."

Senna still had a long way to go before anything close to baby-sized would be coming out into her world. Katara called for Toph and asked for a pain killer. The police chief returned moments later with a pipe filled with ground-up rusty-red leaves and a match. Lighting the pipe, Katara instructed Senna to breathe the smoke in. A couple of minutes passed and her breathing relaxed. She was just as alert and conscious as before, but the pain had reduced to a numbing throb.

"Was that arctic herb?" Tonraq inquired, eyeing the pipe suspiciously.

Katara nodded. "It's perfectly fine, Tonraq. It numbs pain."

The man glanced down at his swollen, red hand, wiggling his fingers to stimulate blood flow. "Mind if I get some of that?" Katara responded with a laugh before Tonraq continued. "Why don't you just heal her? I brought plenty of water."

"If I heal her now I'd be healing her back to her natural state, pre-labour. We want the opposite to happen, Tonraq. I can't heal her until you've got a baby in your arms."

Katara figured Senna had about two hours, at least, before she'd be ready to give birth. The healer spent that time by the couple's side while outside their home, Katara's family and friends gathered the village in the square. Tenzin gazed across a town of two hundred spectators, many concerned of Aang's ailing health. When the murmur had settled, Tenzin spoke, Bumi at his side.

"I know many of you are aware of Aang's failing health over the past couple of days, and his family would like to sincerely thank you all for your hospitality, your assistance, and your love. This is why I am most regretful to announce that our beloved Avatar has passed on into the next life."

A slow rumble filled the crowd as the villagers expressed their surprise and sorrow. Tenzin waited another moment for the crowd to calm.

"The Avatar has served the people of this world in ways no Avatar in history ever has. He was a powerful bender, a wise man, a leader to all people, and inspiration for many. We will all live on with his memory in our hearts," Tenzin's words hitched slightly as his voice caught in his throat. "And we will wait ever diligently for the continuation of the Avatar spirit."

With that, Tenzin gave a deep bow to the people of the Southern Water Tribe and stepped out of the village square, followed by his brother. The murmur in the crowd rose up again and the people were slow to disperse. The atmosphere in the village remained glum that whole afternoon and carried that way through the night despite news of Senna's labour.

That evening, a ship was spotted in the distance heading towards the village docks. A call was made and Bumi, Tenzin, Toph and Lin awaited the arrival of Katara's daughter. As the ship slowed and came to a steady halt and the ramp was drawn down, Kya descended and took in the sorrow in her family's eyes. Tears filled her own as she ran into Bumi's arms and cried.

"I'm so sorry. I came as fast as I could." She pulled away from her brother and looked at Tenzin. "Is he – is dad –" Tenzin bowed his head with a heavy sigh.

"Kya, our father has passed."

A squeal erupted in the main hall of Tonraq and Senna's home. Katara held the wet, squirming child in her hands and Senna's own cries began to subside. No amount of Arctic herb could dull the pain she'd felt during her first childbirth. Katara grinned at the mop of wet, brown fuzz on the baby's head. Dampening a clean towel, she gently washed the struggling infant. She could see already this baby would be strong. She turned to Tonraq and held his child out to him.

"Congratulations," she smiled, "meet your new baby girl, Tonraq."

Senna gave a weak smile at the bundle of baby in her husband's arms before giving another surprised cry. The birthing complete, Katara had begun healing Senna's body as a blue glow filled the room.

Tonraq leaned over and lay himself down next to Senna, gazing with astonished eyes and a boyish grin at his daughter. Senna's expression warmed as well as she looked into her daughter's face for the first time.

"Welcome to the world, Korra."