Uhm, good news?

[chamir]

Chamir plucked the telescope from his eye from his place at the ship’s bow.

“Feels as if I’ve been away for too many months,” then announced to the crew the appearance and distance of intimidating, jagged and unnaturally formed that were created by means of waterbending. Standing next to Bato, a perplexed warrior belonging to the Northern Water Tribe leveled a hand above his brow and leaned to peer beyond Chamir before asking if the Southerner could see the Northern Water Tribe city. Chamir’s eye tapped into the telescope once and sought for an icy landmass. His eyebrow raised and lowered upon measuring a sudden dip that denoted the outermost wall of Shai City between two sheer bluffs.

The two drawing near Chamir, Bato turned towards the Northerner given Chamir’s estimation. “Expanding your perimeter?” He asked, squinting at the horizon then taking Chamir’s offer of the telescope.

“Given everything that’s happened here,” stroking his young whiskers that hung down from his upper lip and shook his head, “…and out there.”

The three of them grimaced bitterly in unison. The visible air around Bato’s face betrayed his quiet, heavy sigh after returning the telescope to Chamir. Bato turned from them and began ordering for a lantern to be lit, announcing their presence and communicating to any nearby patrolmen in these waters. As scouts, they would be the first of the combined Water Tribe fleet arriving followed by the rest of Hakoda’s wood-n-sail ships and the Northern Water Tribe’s own confiscated ironclad they renamed, Yue.

[bataar]

Everything seemed to have feeling of quiet for Tikaani. A stillness among the morning, that pause when everything is starting to wake.

Rise rise sunlight, touch my face, touch my arms, rise rise morning light Tikaani was already up and hungry he waited for Hanai's cue for him to get out of bed and join them for breakfast. He was eager to start the day and see what it had to offer him.
Circle never breaks, night and day are the same the circle continues on, now the day starts and everything is new Tikaani's thoughts floated around as he rocked back and forth, wondering if today is "Boat Day" and he will be with Amana at the docks again or if today is "Shopping Day" and he will stay with Hanai. He forgot which day it was but he was prepared for either or. As Hanai entered his room and told him it was time for breakfast and he will be with Amana this afternoon, Tikaani grinned happy that he will be at his favorite place in the North. The wharfs.

Everything was uneventful, food was plain just as Tikaani likes it, he did his morning chores of changing the oil from the lamps and brushing out the furs. He even was allowed to chop the tundra potatoes for stew tonight, of course with Hanai watching him closely. She smiled proudly when Tikaani put the halved potatoes in a bowl and sat in the main room waiting for Amana. He seemed to be in a easy mood today. He must be looking forward to the docks.

Amana walked into the hut with bag of clams for supper he turned his head to Tikaani who was solving another puzzle. His fingers ghosting over the pieces putting them in the right places with ease.
"Tikaani, time to leave ready?" Amana asked him getting down to his level. When Tikaani didn't respond he asked again.
"Ready, time to go to..." He trailed off the sentence to prompt him.
"To the docks. To the docks." Tikaani finished getting up and getting his coat.
"We go to the docks, you work I play then home to Auntie's" Tikaani said in bit of a monotone, when Amana took his hand looking at the ribbon of cotton by the door. He sighed and lead Tikaani out of taking him to the docks. Hopefully he wouldn't regret his decision.

Caw Caw goes the gulls, the sea dances at my feet. Tikaani sighed pleasantly as he sat on a pier looking out into the sea, inhaling the salty air he watched the ships returning to port. Eager to see what they are carrying on them. What kinds of people are arriving home today?

[nanuk]

Nanuk made her way down to the docks as fast as she dared, slipping and sliding over the icy pathways with abandon. If she got there soon enough, she could see if they would let her help unload any cargo they might be carrying. And if she was lucky, there might be something interesting she could barter for. It was a bit of a long shot, but she liked those odds better than she did going to market as her mother's pack mule.

As she neared the docks she slowed to a walk and shaded her eyes against the morning sun and squinted at the horizon. There - she could just make out the silhouettes of several ships in the distance. One appeared to be larger than the other, but they were too far away for her to be sure just how much larger. Either way, today's prospects looked promising. Stepping around a boy who was already sitting on the pier, Nanuk plopped herself down a few feet away to watch the ships come in.

[chamir]

In council, the crew of Bato's ship conspiratorially huddled around Bato and the Northern Warrior while waterbenders coasted the vessel behind Shai City's wall.

"I will accompany him to the palace," Bato sternly began to address them, "Until Chief Arnook or I command it we are to tell absolutely no one about the outside world. Better they hear it all at once rather than allow the spread of rumors. Our kin have been through a lot this year..."

The huddle began to crackle then fall away as Bato's ship neared the city's docks. "Tell them nothing but we need supplies and will sail into the fray once more," Chamir muttered to himself into the headwrap that was now serving as a scarf while the hood of his parka was over his head. Scampering down to the ice docks he dolefully helped to moor and secure the ship, still wishing that the return to the Northern Water Tribe was under far far better circumstance.

Certain they were settled, the waterbenders aboard their small flatboats bowed to the Southerners in departure before drifting towards the city's wall to return to patrol and await the arrival of the rest of the fleet. Chamir stood there brooding as he watched them leave while another flatboat with Bato aboard floated further into the city, ferrying him to the palace.