Healing Trust

"He asked me to go as far as I could, all over the world; to the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Air Temples..." Jurishe tells Katara, her voice surprisingly steady, "To collect as many stories as I could for him. So... that's what I'm doing."

She smiled, pulling back a bit, "But that's my story. Most of it, anyway."

"You're mine too, Katara," Jurishe smiles, reaching up to take the clip out of her hair, so that it falls down around her shoulders, "I can't wait to travel and make our own story - this time a happy one." She's trying to stay cheerful, despite the turns that the evening had taken.

"That sounds like the perfect story!" She agreed, her happiness becoming more genuine, rather than forced, "I can't think of anything to add to it; you already said everything that i would want."

Then, with a yawn, Jurishe stretched, lifting her arms up high to try and crack her back. "Well... shall we turn in, for the night?" She asks, sounding tired afterward, "Get some sleep and get ready to go, tomorrow morning?"

"That sounds good... Thank you, too, Katara," came Jurishe's response, lethargic but sincere. She did not crawl under the blankets, but rather slept on top, still a bit unaccustomed to the heat of the Fire Nation. In no time at all, she had fallen into a deep sleep, too tired to even make a peep all night. Perhaps (she might muse, if she knew how soundly she was sleeping), sharing her story had somehow put her mind at ease.

Until the morning, however, her troubles seemed nonexistent, and she would rest well, ready for the 'morrow.

The sun rose the next morning, completely hidden away in the clouds. The air was cooler than it had been last night before the two girls had gone to bed, and a breeze fluttered at the curtains. Jurishe was perfectly comfortable in the cool air, even on top of the blankets. Though Katara would still likely wake and rise first, Jurishe had slept quite well, and when her eyes fluttered open, she only had to stretch before looking around, beginning to wake up.

"Mornin'," She murmured sleepily, stretching her muscles out, coaxing her body to come alert. Glancing over at Katara, then at the windows, she continued, "This is the coldest it's been, since I left the south pole..."

"I like it like this," Jurishe agrees, pausing for a yawn, "A bit warmer than home, but cold enough to be comfortable." Rising up, somewhat reluctantly, she sat cross-legged on the bed, rubbing at her eyes to wake herself up more quickly than normal. "So," She began again, "This is my plan..."

Sliding to the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the cool wooden floor, she begins to explain, "I'd go and grab us breakfast, and then we'll pack up and start heading for the island of the old firebending masters. We might at least find some clues there; you can be the smarts and understand them, while I'll be the eyes and point them out to you." Stopping, she undoes her hair clip, brushing her hair out before winding it back up and securing it.

"What do you think? We'll get going right away, on finding you help for your bending," She says it with a clear smile, hopeful as well.

"I thought that you might want one more bath, before we hit the road?" She offers, already pulling her clothes on over her head, "I'll do your hair when I get back, and then you can eat while I take mine. Sound good?"

Moving over to the door, she pulls it open, glancing up at the sky - checking the weather - and then out at the streets, most of which are still empty, so early in the morning.

Smiling, she waved goodbye to Katara before stepping out into the cool morning air. While Jurishe didn't want to keep her friend waiting for too long, she did take her time, wandering into town at a leisurely pace. The only restaurant open this early boasted a sort of crumbly breakfast bread and dishes of smoked sausage. Ordering two of each, she accepted the bag offered for carrying it all and made her way, not back, but to a nearby shop.

Inside, she made the modest purchase of a traveler's map; something that she and Katara would definitely need. After a quick question to the clerk, regarding where their destination was, on the map, Jurishe took her leave, glancing at the map the whole way back to the room.

Pushing the door open with her shoulder, she called out, "I'm back!", just in case Katara was still in the washroom bathing. She hadn't been gone for more than fifteen minutes, so you never know.

"I come with gifts of bread and sausage, as well as juice... and a map!" Jurishe proclaims grandly, closing the door behind her, "Now, how would you like your hair? Up, down, braided, loose?"

Setting the bags down on the chair beside the door, Jurishe moves over to the bed and smiles down at Katara, ready to work on her hair.

Grabbing the hairbrush, Jurishe moved to stand behind Katara, "Alright, let me brush it out, and then we'll just tie it loose, okay? A traveler's ponytail." While her friend might have scrubbed at her curls haphazardly, the good brushing out that they had previously helped keep their integrity intact. They only required a single brush though, and a few small detanglings.

The tie was not high on Katara's head, this time, but down at her neck, merely binding the hair together before letting it loosen again. "Now the wind won't bother you," Jurishe grinned.

With that, it was: "Breakfast time!" Moving over to the chair, she snagged the bag and pulled out both servings, handing one to Katara. "I'm not sure what the bread is called, but I tried some at the restaurant, and it's really good!"

"My hair wouldn't tangle if I forced it," Jurishe answered, her voice a little wry, "It hangs straight and limp, or it takes two hours to pull it into any sort of shape... This clip is the only thing that lets me pull it up quickly, without a hassle."

The flaked, crumbling bread was actually very good and complimented the komodo rhino sausages very well. Jurishe's portion was gone in a flash, leaving her satisfied. "Alright, I'm going to bathe really fast, and then we can pack up and head out!" She sounded excited at the prospect.

"Oh, that would give the town something to talk about, wouldn't it?" She teases back, flipping Katara's hair playfully, "Why, the boys would never stop talking about me - I'd have four proposals by tomorrow!" Her tone is very, very clearly playful and not serious in the slightest.

"I'll be out in a minute," She adds with a chuckle, closing the bathroom door behind her. True to her word, it doesn't take her long at all; she emerges with a towel wrapped around her, another one drying her hair. "And now to dress, pack, and get going."